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Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!ncrlnk!wright!sdawalt
From: sdawalt@wright.EDU (Shane Dawalt)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Something else you can't do on the Mac
Message-ID: <914@thor.wright.EDU>
Date: 7 Jan 90 08:58:30 GMT
References: <735@npiatl.UUCP>
Followup-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Organization: Wright State University, Dayton OH, 45435
Lines: 47


  I can't stand it anymore ... I just gotta voice my opinion before I
explode!  (This has been brewing for a week or so ... pardon the
length.)

  Everyone keeps screaming how you always have to dump to DOS to "type"
a file from a comm program.  First, why would you want to download a
file then read it while you are on-line?  I presume you are on-line
since you keep reiterating the point that you are unwilling to exit your
comm program.  If you do want to read the file in DOS, most comm programs
allow you to shell up to DOS.  You don't have to exit the comm program.
Now I'll admit that I have found myself wanting to do _something_ while
my modem is busy downloading/uploading stuff, but certainly not at a
frequency which warrants a new machine purchase.  Three of four times
over a period of 2 years does not qualify as a "pressing need" in my
case.

  Now, about the Mac; I agree with most people that IBMs are IBMs
and Macs are Macs AND each machine is good for different problems.  My
personal feelings towards the Mac is that it is too "padded" for my
liking.  Mice (mouses, whatever) are dandy instruments to use.  I have
one on my AT system for use with GEM and, when I'm really desperate,
Windows.  The mouse, in my mind, is only good for, perhaps, 40% of total
data input.  Desktop publishing, filename selection from a list (not
icons) and games are the extent of my mouse usage.  Other times it sets
collecting dust.  

  Icons are fine if you prefer looking at drawings.  I prefer text over
drawing in most cases.  I just find that I like a nice command line
staring me in the face.  (The command line should be part of the OS and,
therefore, FREE.  It was implied in earlier postings that to obtain a
command line on the Mac required _buying_ a program.)

  In conclusion (if anyone is still reading), the Mac's screen is too
small.  My personal minimum is 13".  My IBM system has a 14" which is 
"ok".  I would much prefer a 19" because it appears to be more "roomy"
on the screen.  Perhaps the newer Mac's have larger screens.  I do not
know since I haven't been looking at them lately.  One thing I would
like is multi-tasking ability -- something the 80286 seems not to do
all that well. :-(  Yeah, yeah, I could purchase the new Windows
upgrade, but Mickeysoft products are near the bottom of my reliability
list (DOS included).

  (Do I dare claim this verbose message as my own???) Shane

Email: sdawalt@cs.wright.edu
  or   71076.511@compuserve.com